Its Just the Beginning
by secretswritethemselves
Summary: What happens to the Secret Circle after Black John is killed.
1. Ch 1: Its Just the Beginning

Okay. So this is my first ever posting on FanFiction. Tell me if I did okay. And comment on what you think of it. And I'm sorry if there are any spelling mistakes, name or reference mistakes or the like.

Chapter One

Finally. Everything was quiet. The circle had finally broken up. It was almost dawn; the circle had spent the rest of the night in a make-shift celebration-meeting sort of thing, ever since Black John had been killed—hopefully for good this time.

Cassie, Dianna, and Faye were now, all together, the three leaders of the circle. Faye, surprisingly, hadn't made any comments on Cassie being elected even though she wasn't of age to be a leader. And then when Cassie had insisted on Dianna being a leader as well, had given in almost immediately and with good grace.

Cassie was thoroughly happy. Everything had turned out all right. Even with Adam mess; Dianna had _given_ her Adam. Dianna wasn't mad of disappointed. She had said that she had known Cassie and Adam were meant to be together ever since she and Adam had described the connection they felt as a silver cord. According to Melanie a silver cord connecting two people heart to heart or a red cord pinky to pinky is the sign of soul mates. Adam and Cassie were meant to be together for this lifetime and possibly many more after.

They were currently curled up on the living room couch at Dianna's house, since Cassie currently didn't have a house and the elders were at Adam's taking care of Cassie's mom. Dianna had left them alone downstairs while she took a shower and got the guest room ready. They guessed that she wasn't coming down again that night.

Adam was sitting on the couch holding Cassie who was sitting on his lap. Her eyes were closed and she was resting her head on his chest. He had his arms around her and he was gently stroking her hair. They were both relieved that the nightmare was finally over.

They sat that way for an immeasurable amount of time. Neither of them moved except for Adam's stroking hand, their breathing, and the occasional murmured "I love you". At last they stirred. Cassie had just remembered something. A promise Adam had made to her earlier that night.

Her kiss. She still hadn't gotten her kiss. She lifted her head so that she could look Adam in the eye.

"I think you've forgotten something," she said in a teasing tone.

Adam didn't answer. He was still in shock from her moving after such a long time still.

Adam, who had by then recovered enough to talk, asked, "What? What have I forgotten?"

"A promise…. Don't tell me you can't remember," Cassie said with false innocence, frustration, and sadness. "You never break your promises. Forgetting a promise is just like breaking one."

A look of shock, slight horror, and puzzlement crossed his face as he tried to remember the promise he had made to her. He sat there for three minutes absentmindedly stroking her hair while he thought over the entire night.

"You don't remember." Cassie said a false sadness in her voice and eyes. She was toying with him, playing with him.

Adam was shocked. He had never heard so much sadness from Cassie. Immediately he tripled his efforts to figuring out his promise. The guilt of forgetting his promise was pushing him to think harder and harder. He didn't want to hear the sadness from Cassie or know that he was the reason for that look of lost longing to come from her.

Cassie gave him a few more minutes thought before saying, again in the falsely sad and innocent voice: "Want me to give you a hint?"

Adam nodded eagerly, in a hurry to make her happy and take the sadness away from her.

Cassie leaned forward and gave him a very formal, peck on the cheek.

When she leaned back Cassie saw remembrance and understanding dawn in his eyes.

He knew what she wanted, and she knew that he wanted the same thing she did.

Adam put two fingers under Cassie's chin and gently coaxed her face up. Then he leaned down and gently brushed his lips against hers. It started off as barely a kiss at all, just an exchange of lip brushes. But it steadily increased. Lip brushes, to quick hard kisses, to slow core-shivering kisses, to white hot ones. Kisses that should have made the couch beneath them catch fire.

After what seemed like an eternity, but still certainly not long enough, they both pulled back slightly, lips still nearly touching, looking into each other's eyes. They were both breathing hard and love for the other shown out of every part of them.

It only took one quick glance to see that both of them, in no way had, had enough kisses. But the sun was rising and neither one had really slept the night before, and they had been up all night tonight.

"Come on." Cassie groaned getting up and taking Adam's hand in hers. "Let's get upstairs before we fall asleep down here." She gave him a gently but firm tug up; he yielded quickly, getting up, lacing his fingers through hers as he did.

Cassie let her head drop to Adam's shoulder as they went upstairs to the guest room. Dianna had laid out a pair of pajamas for the both of them on the foot of the bed, which looked all too comfortable. If she hadn't had Adam with her Cassie would have walked straight to the bed and fallen asleep on the bed, clothes and all.

Cassie walked up to the bed and grabbed the night gown off the bed. "I'll be right back." She whispered to Adam and turned to the bathroom.

She had taken the Master Tools off already, but she was still wearing the white shift. She shift had been Dianna's until tonight. Dianna had given it to her when she made Cassie leader. The circle had agreed, after much arguing on Cassie's side, the Cassie should be the only leader to wear the Master Tools, since she had figured out where the Master Tools had been, and that they had been in her house.

Adam grabbed his pajamas and headed to one of the other bathrooms. He was still completely dazed. To him it didn't seem real the Cassie was finally his. His alone. He had just about gone crazy in agonizing jealousy when Cassie had gone out with Nick. Adam knew that Cassie was his girl now, completely, one hundred percent, but he was still shocked that it had all been so easy. He couldn't believe that Dianna had done all of this for them. He knew that he had been the only one that Dianna had ever loved, that at one point—that point being a week ago—her whole life had been centered around him, around them. He could never repay Dianna for giving him Cassie.

Quietly, already in his pajamas, Adam slipped out of the bathroom. He passed the guest room where Cassie was probably waiting for him, and went into Dianna's room. He didn't expect her to be up and she wasn't. She was sound asleep curled up under the covers. He tip toed over to the bed, gathering power. This was the only way he could think of to tell Dianna how much her sacrifice meant to him, and probably to Cassie. He carefully bent over her ear and blew into it.

His breath carried power. He was trying to send Dianna a dream, to say things he couldn't say to her any other way. He blew gently trying to make sure the flow of power wouldn't wake her. But he was itching to be with Cassie. He had needed to be with her for so long now. Now he had the chance to be with her. His thoughts were making him lose control of his power. He started blowing unconsciously harder and harder. Dianna was trembling from the intensity of the power, but Adam couldn't control himself. Thoughts of Cassie were driving him crazy with desire and love. He needed her. His calling beacon kept getting stronger and so was the dream he was trying to send Dianna.

If he didn't get a hold of himself—and fast—he could end up killing her.

Chapter One Continued:

Cassie was in the bathroom; nightgown on, standing in front of the mirror brushing her hair. Her mind kept drifting back to Adam who was down the hall in one the next bathroom. She was listening for the sound of the bedroom door opening, announcing that Adam was back.

But she never heard it.

She was in the bathroom for 5 extra, unnecessary, minutes.

_He should have been back by now. I wonder what's keeping him._

Cassie waited another minute then opened the bathroom door and checked the room. _Maybe he came in without my noticing. _

But no one was there.

She wasn't waiting anymore. She opened the door and walked down the hall to the bathroom she knew Adam should be in. She knocked softly. But no one answered. "Adam? Adam?" she whispered still lightly knocking. Still no answer. Not a sound came from inside. If Adam was inside he was acting very odd.

Cassie was hurt, and a little ashamed. _Like he would ever pick me over Dianna. _She grabbed the handle, slightly scarred and ashamed at what she might find, and turned. She slowly opened the door. Half expecting Adam to be in there with Dianna; half expecting him to jump out and grab her around the waist, laughing, and carry her back to the room to sleep.

She opened the door just enough to poke her head around it. But it was, again, empty. She opened the door all the way and looked around. Not quite being able to believe that he would betray her. After all that they'd been through to be together.

_Now all there is to check is Dianna's room. I really don't want to go in there. Maybe I'll just go to bed…. No! Come on you wimp! You have sacrificed too much to finally be with Adam. If he really did decide to go back to Dianna you deserve at least some explanation!_

Slowly turning on her heals to face the open door way, she began the painstaking walk down the hall to Dianna's room. And what she saw there made her loose her breath. And her dignity.

_Now I really need you guys to comment on these. I can't make the next portion better if I don't know what you thought of the previous. I need to know what you think. I want to make these stories with the author's characters the same. I don't what to change what their personalities and unique traits are but I do want to add something too them. I want to know if you think I sticking to the characters you know. Now I'm going on what I think of the characters but I want to know the ideas that you have and what you think of everything._

_The next chapter is coming soon. Sorry this last chapter came in two parts. I thought I was going to make that next part the second chapter. But I decided against it. The latest will probably be Sunday (12/5/10). Sorry I made such a big break between this part and the last. Hope you enjoy my take on The Secret Circle._


	2. Ch 2: Me or Her

**Chapter Two:**

Cassie walked into Dianna's room.

Adam kneeling over Dianna doing I don't know what, was all that Cassie registered before she cracked.

She didn't know and she didn't care.

"Adam!" Cassie shouted. "What—what is…going on here?" she cried in an anguished voice.

"Cassie!" Adam called in delight. Not having registered Cassie's voice. To him it was as if his prayers had been answered. He had been wishing that he could be with Cassie and here she was calling his name.

Dianna on the other hand was in pain. The Power induced dream, which was supposed to be a thank you, had turned to a night mare. She was also sore. The Power had kept her immobile, against her will. She had spent the whole time trying to break free to no avail. Now she could finally relax.

Suddenly Dianna's father burst in.

"What is going on here? I heard a shout." He looked over everyone in the room taking everything in. "Cassie. What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

Cassie couldn't answer. All she could think of was the scene she had walked in on.

She knew there was something off, something wrong. Why had Adam jumped up like that, like me walking through the door just made his day?

Dianna was still sitting on her bed. Carefully, tentatively flexing and stretching her muscles.

"Ow! Oh my GOD! My head hurts so badly!"

"I'll go get her some ibuprophin." Cassie said, glad for any excuse to leave the room.

"Wait..." Adam started. Cassie ran out of the room before he could finish.

Downstairs Cassie made a slow progress of getting the medicine, dragging her feet through the hallway to the medicine cabinet in the kitchen.

It's not that she wanted Dianna to suffer but that she didn't want to go back up to that room. She didn't dare call to someone to take it down; she knew that it would be Adam to come down if she did. She also knew that he would corner her and ask what was wrong first chance he got. Calling him down would just make that come faster, and the last thing she wanted to do what talk.

Finally she found the ibupropin, and brought it back upstairs. What she walked into didn't help her feel any better.

Dianna was having some kind of fit. Adam and Dianna's dad where trying to calm her down. She was standing on a chair with a pillow in her hand, ready to swing at anyone who got to close.

"What's wrong with her? I was gone for like two minutes."

"Cassie! Thank God. Maybe she'll calm down once she's had the medicine."

"But what's wrong with her?"

"We don't really know. She was fine when you left then suddenly she picked up a pillow and started beating me with it. Then she got up like she was perfectly fine, so we walked over to her to try to get her to sit down but she went all ballistic again. We don't know why, but she won't let anyone near her."

"Okay. Fine. I'll see if I can calm her down."

Cassie turned to Dianna with the bottle still in her hand.

"Come here Dianna." Cassie coaxed while unscrewing the top of the medicine bottle.

Dianna carefully, cautiously moved toward Cassie, keeping her guard up the whole time. Waiting for an unexpected move.

"Water." Cassie whispered to the people behind her. "Someone give me some water. Not in a cup though."

She heard someone walk away but was too intent on Dianna to see who it was, though she was pretty sure it was Dianna's dad and not Adam who had left.

"Come here Dianna. Come here. I don't want to hurt you." Cassie coaxed, slowly inching toward her.

Behind her Cassie heard the door of the room open and close again. Whoever had left was back. She felt a light tap on her elbow and held out her hand. A bottle of water was put into it.

"Okay Dianna. Take the water, and these pills." Cassie slowly held out the water bottle and two ibupropin. Dianna slowly stretched out her hand and took the water and pills.

Cassie started to relax. _Hopefully she takes the pills and feels better. She is really starting to freak me out._

Dianna took the pills.

"Thank God. I was really worried that she would stay like that." Dianna's father sounded truly relieved. It was only then that I remembered that he only had Dianna. Her mother had died in - last rampage.

"Cassie. Can I talk to you?" It was Adam.

Dianna's father heard. "Go on I'll stay with her." Dianna had calmed down after taking the medicine and was lying quietly on her bed again.

"Okay."

Cassie followed Adam out of Dianna's room down the hall to the guest room.

"What do you want to talk about?" she asked in a toneless voice.

"Cassie, is something wrong? Did I do something?" Adam asked as he moved closer to grab her hands.

Cassie unconsciously dodged his hold.

"What's wrong Cassie?" Adam moved in again and this time Cassie let him take her hands.

Cassie took a deep breath. _I want to tell him so bad. I want him to tell me that there's nothing between him and Dianna; that he loves me._

Cassie looked up with tears in her eyes.

"Cassie. Really what's wrong?" She could see tears building up in his eyes too. Her pain was hurting him.

"Okay. I'll tell you." She said sniffling. Slowly, in between sniffs: "Are you with me or Dianna?"

"Cassie... That's what was bothering you?" Adam was shaking his head back and forth smirking a humorless smile. "Cassie…Cassie. I'm with you. Only you. I thought you knew that."

"I'm sorry. But its just that you were with her for so long. You both were completely convinced that you were going to get married and be together for the rest of your lives. How am I supposed to compete with that?"

"Cassie. Yes, we were together for a long time but, I love you. That's not saying that I don't love her. I do. But I love her like my best friend and the girl that I've dated for my whole life. I love you as my future, as my current girl friend and the girl that I will probably be with for the rest of my life." Adam leaned in then and kissed her.

Cassie had glad of it. She was happy to stop thinking and just be with Adam. She was tired of worrying about everything. She wanted to go back to the bliss of earlier.

Cassie melted into Adam and into the kiss.

When they broke the kiss Cassie was as genuinely happy as before. Smiling she said to Adam, "Thank you."

"For what?" he asked chuckling.

"For everything."

By now the sun was rising on the day.

"Come here." Cassie dragged Adam to the window in the bedroom. The sun was just rising and the sky was a beautiful light blue and purple color.

Cassie stood at the window, watching the sun rise. Adam was standing behind her. She leaned into Adam taking in his comfort. Adam wrapped his arms around her waist.

They stood there until Cassie fell asleep. Then Adam picked her up and put her into bed, and crawled in next to her. He was asleep instantly.

That night Cassie woke up with Adam sleeping soundly beside her. She was feeling better; that days sleep had done her well. But she was confused. Confused as to how she got on the bed.

Suddenly she felt movement beside her, an arm wrapped around her. Adam was awake. Cassie turned into Adam.

"Hey. Um…How did I get into bed? The last I remember I was standing with you by the window."

Adam smiled and stroked her cheek. "I carried you. You fell asleep watching the sun rise."

There was a knock at the door and Cassie and Adam sat up. "Come in."

In walked Dianna.

"Dianna! How are you? Do you feel any better?" Cassie asked.

"Yeah. Much better. I just wanted to tell you I'm sorry. I don't know what happened this morning. I just kind of snapped…and…"

"Dianna. Dianna. There is no need to apologize. I know that it wasn't your fault. I'm just glad that you're okay."

"Oh. Thank you. I was so worried that you'd be mad at me." Dianna was on the verge of tears.

Dianna's father came upstairs and knocked on the door. "Your friends are here."

"Oh my gosh. We gotta talk to them. It feels like forever since I last saw them."

"I know."

"Come on. Let's go. Their probably waiting."

Adam, Cassie, and Dianna all got up and went down. Adam and Cassie were still in their pajamas.

"Cassie! Dianna!" They looked around for who had called their names and found that it was Faye.

_Just my luck. Faye is the first one to make a demand._

"What?"

"Circle leader meeting. I need to talk to the two of you." 

"Fine. Just a minute." Cassie said. Then she turned to Adam and Dianna. "Do you think they should know what happened to you because of Power? That way they can be more careful with how they use it."

"That's up to you Dianna. It happened to you, so it's your information to tell." Adam said. Always being his chivalrous self.

"Yes. I think they should know. Just in case. But could you tell them Adam, I'm going to go with Cassie and Faye."

"Yeah. Of course. If your sure you want me to."

"Yes, I do want you to." 

"Okay. You guys go to your meeting. I'll take care of everything here."

"Thank you." Dianna stepped up and hugged Adam.

"No problem," he said, patting Dianna's back. "Now go," he let her go. "Faye's getting anise."

"Go on. I'll be there in a minute." Cassie told Dianna.

Dianna left and Cassie turned to Adam, and held her arms open. Adam went into them.

"Thank you." She said into his shoulder.

"I know. Now go, you know Faye is not patient."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Cassie pulled back and kissed him before turning to the kitchen and following Faye and Dianna to the dining room.

"Okay you guys I need to tell you something. It's really important. It's something that we just learned this morning." Adam said. "Everyone sit down."

"Adam what is it?" Melanie asked, worried.


	3. Authors note

Hey Readers.

For all of you who read my story but didn't comment you didn't get my latest message. And I'm really sorry cuz I know you guys will think that this is a new chapter and it's not. It's just an author's note from me. But it is a super important author's note so please read it and don't hate me.

I'm sooooooo sorry that it's been so long since I've since I've posted a new story but I was just really busy with school and summer stuff. There was also a really sad part as to why I haven't posted. Its name is writers block. And not just any writers block either. This time my writers block was so bad that I seriously thought I wasn't going to be able to finish this story for you. That would be just been tragic and I feel so bad for all of you, especially those of you who have been waiting for my story to be updated for like 5 months.

But thanks to my best writing friend I have finally gotten out of my writers block and am currently writing you an awesome new chapter. And it will be a long one. And hopefully I will be able to update more frequently now that I actually know where this story is going. Which is probably one of the reasons I got such bad writers block; I didn't really know where I was going with this story when I started writing this. But now I sort of know and I hope you guys will like it as much as you have my last two chapters.

And if you guys have any ideas for what you want to see happen or for any character that you can envision in this story, you are welcome to share them with me. I'm not saying I will use all of them or even use someone's complete idea but I think it will help keep me motivated to write throughout my busy schedule. If I use your idea or even part of your idea I will post it in the author's note I put before the start of every story. Seriously, this would really help me a lot, even if I just use the eye color or the height of the character, you will get credited.

I love you guys sooo much and you're the reason I've been able to come out of my writer block. I just couldn't bear to leave you guys.

And this is a shout out to all the authors whom I have added their stories to my favorites, or added to my favorite authors. Pretty much all of you guys were writers of Hush Hush stories but you guys also helped my get out of my writer's block, so thanks a ton to all of you guys out there.

And remember to always REVIEW! It really helps keep me motivated and it even gives me new ideas sometimes. If you have anything to say about my story, especially if it is positive, please post it. Even if you have something you don't like about the story, please post it. Constructive criticism also helps. It helps me know what you guys like reading about and what you don't.

I know that this is a super long authors note and you guys are probably getting bored of me being mushy and fluffy over you guys but I have to say you are THE BEST fans in the world. Every time I would get a comment or an author and story favoritism I would dance in my seat. True the past few months it was a dance in my seat with a twist in my stomach at the guilt of not updating but you guys helped me through. And I can't thank you enough. I love you guys.

Till my next update (Which should be soon. The latest will be the end of the month).

Adieu,

Marianna


	4. Ch 3: Unanswered Questions

Unless there is something you need to read before you read the story I'm going to try to put all my authors' notes at the end of the chapters. So this is chapter 3 enjoy after your like 8 month wait which I am really sorry about. But if you read my authors note says why and it's because I had major writers block in more detail. So enjoy chapter 3. Oh and because I didn't mention this in any of my other chapters. I do NOT own any of the Secret Circle except for this plot and any character that I may or may not make up to make this story more interesting, just so you guys know. All characters so far mentioned all belong the LJ Smith.

"Okay guys. So this is kind of an important meeting. Its… well it's not really my story to tell…well it is but it has more to do with Dianna so I feel kinda weird telling it for her and…." Adam tried to stutter through his explanation before Melody stopped him.

"Adam. Hey it's fine. Just explain what's been going on since we've been gone. Obviously it's something big or else you wouldn't be acting like this."

Adam took a big breath before rushing through his story of what had happened that night. Everything that had happened, well beside all the stuff going on with him a Cassie.

When Cassie got down to the kitchen where the leaders meeting was, Dianna and Faye were already whispering away_. I guess whatever Faye had to say was so important she couldn't wait an extra minute for me to get down here._

"Hey guys. What's goin' on…?"

"My god Cassie. Could you have taken any more time to drag your sorry butt down here!"

"Gees. Well I didn't realize my presence down here was in such a high demand."

"Shut up with the smart ass comments Cassie. This is actually really important."

"Fine. Shoot. What is it that couldn't wait a minute?"

"Okay. Finally…Well you know how I like to have candles lit everywhere? Well this morning when I was lighting them. Something… happened. I don't really know what since this has never happened before. But I had a hard time keeping the flames inside the glass pots."

"Wait. What do you mean Faye? Did you light the candles using magic?" Cassie was trying to keep a level head in all of this, but just the fact that something went wrong with Faye's magic was freaking her out.

"Well, duh. Why would I light every candle by hand when I can light them all in a second with magic?"

"Well sorry but I just had to make sure this was because of magic and not just because you don't know how to light a frickin' candle without magic." At that comment Faye turned a very unhealthy shade of red, turned on her heal and stormed away.

Cassie was already getting irritated and she had just woken up five minutes ago. She closed her eyes and brought her hands up and started to massage her temples; not that it did any good to the headache that she could feel started behind her eyes. This day was just not going well.

When she finally reopened her eyes she was alone in the kitchen. She assumed Dianna had left to go look for a very angry and embarrassed Faye. Therefore Cassie took this as a dismissal of the meeting and went back upstairs.

Back in the living room everyone was speechless even Melody and the twins had nothing to say.

Finally Laurel spoke up. "Well… that's kind of unexpected but at least no one got hurt…" She trailed off as Dianna walked into the room.

Adam turned to face her, his face screaming awkwardness and pleading that she take over from there. Dianna nodded her understanding and acceptance and everyone could physically see Adam deflate as he relaxed. He got up and stretched indicating that they were all hers to answer questions.

"I told them everything I knew and saw, but I haven't answered any questions so those are all yours." Then he started to walk away, but before he could take three steps Dianna stopped him.

"Just a minute Adam." Dianna said, pulling him away from the group of open ears. "Just so you aren't left behind. The meeting, it didn't go so well. One: Cassie was already wound up when she came down and it took about two minutes for her to insult Faye enough to get her to leave so she's storming around the house in a huff. Two: take some ibuprofen and water up to Cassie because she's getting a headache. And three: I think there's something important that tires Cassie's irritability, Faye's softness and what happened last night together." She held up a hand to stop his next comment. "No. I don't know what it is and I haven't even gotten the chance to think about it so if you and Cassie could get on finding something about this that would be great, because I'm pretty sure I'm going to be stuck here for a while."

Adam smiled at her. "Sure no problem. Although I'm not really sure how big of a help Cassie's gonna be right now because I don't know if you've ever seen her moody, but I have and it was not a pretty sight." Suddenly a shoe came hurdling down the stairs hitting Adam in the head. "OWW!" he protested.

"Good!" Cassie shouted from upstairs.

"How did she hear that?" Adam whispered. Then he turned to everyone else, who were still sitting in the exact some positions this time with mouths hanging open. "Could you guys hear what we were saying?"

They all shook their heads no in unison, still in awe of what had just happened.

"How?... did she?... what?..." Adam stuttered.

"Just go upstairs and try to figure out what's wrong and try to do some research."

"I'm kind of scared to go up there. I don't know what she's gonna do next."

"Uggggg. Just go. I can't do everything around here."

Adam turned and slowly trudged his way up the stairs and to the guest room where Cassie was curled up fast asleep. Suddenly Adam was overwhelmingly tired. He could barely hold himself up. So he stumbled to the bed, kicked off his shoes and snuggled in with Cassie. Three seconds later he too was fast asleep. Neither Dianna's request, nor the shoe incident was anywhere to be found in Adam's sleeping mind.

Dianna had just finished retelling the story from her point of view and she was exhausted. She hadn't really gotten that much sleep in the first place and her muscles were still aching from the spasms.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Laurel asked for what seemed like the thousandth time.

Dianna had had enough of it. "NO. Not really. I'm not okay. But I'll be fine." she snapped. She hated it when people took pity on her; her headache was also starting to creep back in: slow, steady and strong. Underneath everything she was wondering if she was being affected like Cassie was or if it was just a side effect form this morning.

Finally Dianna looked up and opened her eyes, moving her head out of her hands; having laid it there after snapping at Laurel. Everyone was staring at her. Some like Sean looked at her with hurt; others like Nick and the Henderson twins with shock; and others like Suzan and Deborah with shock and still others like Melenie and Laurel with an apology and understanding.

"You guys. I think we're done for the day. I'm still tired. We don't know what's going on Faye is already mad and we aren't going to get much done. Everyone just go home and we'll call you if anything happens or if we find anything." Dianna said to them, then got up and headed up the stairs.

"Come on guys. Let's go. Move it. They don't want us here. Let everyone work out their own problems before we go shoving ours down their throats." Melenie said as soon as she heard Dianna on the stairs.

"But…" Sean started to say.

Laurel nailed him with a hard look. "No buts. Let's. Go. They will call if they find anything or they need help."

Melenie was already at the door holding it open. Finally with a hard stare from both of them everyone filed out of the house and left to go to their own, because, as much as they tried to deny it when Dianna called a meeting, they were all still way too tired to function properly.

Dianna was relieved when she heard Melenie and Laurel make everyone leave. Usually she wouldn't do that to them but she was still too tired and too freaked over that morning to care. She had been banking on them clearing her house when she left without telling them to leave and she was glad they had, because she probably wouldn't have been able to handle it, she thought to herself.

_Maybe Cassie and Adam have found something yet. _But when she knocked on the door she didn't get an answer, so she opened the door and saw them there, still in their clothes from that morning, sleeping soundly. She puffed up to let them have it but just then Cassie turned and she saw the innocent, sleeping face on her and couldn't bear to wake up something that precious looking. All the stress and worry that had been clouding Cassie's face ever since she learned she was Black John's daughter was absent and she finally looked peaceful like Dianna had never seen her.

Dianna then quickly and quietly shut the door and padded over to her room where she laid down on the bed and fell asleep immediately, not bothering to change her clothes, or to worry about anything else. All she wanted was the peace and serenity that Cassie seemed to have in her sleep.

She also forgot about Faye. Dianna never figured out where Faye had gone and now she no longer remembered or cared to look for Faye, she was at peace for once in a very long time.

Just outside her door, a floorboard creaked.

Sorry this came out a day later than I had planned but Saturday I got a surprise trip to Noah's Ark with one of my best friends. And when I got back I slept from 7 till 11 the next day. I was sooo tired. So sorry this is a day late, but I have to say this is probably the closest I've ever gotten to staying with my deadline. I'm really sorry with all the late deadlines but with the last one that was like two months late it's not that I always break promises, especially not to all you guys who I love very much, but because I didn't know what to write, but now I have an idea and that will last me a couple of chapters so hopefully I will be able to update soon. I won't give a specific date but my goal is to have one or two chapters up but the end of the month. So I hope you guys like this chapter because it took me ages to come out of writers block to write this for you.


	5. Ch 4: A New Begining

Falling, swirling blackness. An endless sea of darkness. No spark of life. No guiding light. Just me myself and I.

The blackness numbs me. I cannot feel a thing. But that's how I want it. Because it hurt too much to feel. It hurts too much to think of everything that has led to nothing.

"I'm worried about Cassie. She's been acting weird these past few weeks. Ever since the dream episode. She hasn't been acting right. All she's done is eat, sleep, and go to school. She looks like a zombie, everyone in school avoids her like the plague and she doesn't seem to notice. Also every time I've tried to talk to her she's just ignored me, just walks away or 'something comes up' and she has to go. We have to figure out what's bothering her."

Cassie was sitting on the beach that day after school. She had taken to going there to try to be alone and get some peace and quiet. Today she had taken a notebook and was scribbling furiously inside; holding the paper close so that even if someone managed to sneak up behind her they wouldn't be able to see what was written. She was close to finishing. Finishing everything. She just couldn't take it anymore. Being constantly worried. Feeling torn in two. Cassie was very tempted just to end everything. But, she couldn't. At least not yet. That's what she was trying to figure out that day on the beach.

Unknown to her Adam and Dianna were hiding in the rocks. They were watching her. Waiting to see if she'd make a move. They didn't know this beach was where she went every day. They had just caught her walking down as they walked to her house. They didn't want her to know they were there and so every time she flinched they ducked down again.

"I don't know what's wrong anymore." Adam complained as they walked away. They had learned nothing after watching her for half an hour. "Every time I try to talk to her she finds a way to walk off before I've even gotten two word out."

"Just give her some time. Her grandmother died not that long ago and her mother is still in her unresponsive state." Dianna said, trying to calm him.

Nick was walking along the beach. Just thinking, kicking up the loose sand as he went. Suddenly he saw her. Sitting there alone, crying scribbling furiously in a notebook.

"Cassie." He whispered.

He started toward her, looking around to see if anyone was with her… well to see if Adam was with her. When he didn't see anyone he decided it was safe to go closer.

"Cassie? Cassie!" He started saying trying to get her attention without scarring her too badly. Finally she turned.

As soon as she saw him she got up and made to leave. "No. Wait Cassie. Wait." He started running and caught her before she managed to get her things together. "What's wrong? Why did you try to run away? It's just me."

And then Cassie just couldn't take it anymore. Something broke inside of her and she started sobbing, broken, gut wrenching sobs. The tears were pouring down her face in streams of unrelenting tears. And Nick just held her. He gathered her up in his arms, sat down in the sand and settled her comfortably in his lap.

Cassie didn't know how long she had been crying for and neither did Nick. All she knew was that Nick made her feel better. He was the only thing that made this bearable. The constant ache, constant worry, it wasn't so bad with Nick there.

Cassie turned to Nick just before she fell asleep "Take me home please. My home."

**A/N:**

**I'm really sorry that this took so long to update. I wanted to update this a month ago but I just havent had the time. and I realize this is like my shortest chapter ever but if I wrote anymore I would give stuff away and it just wouldnt be suspensful. And for all of you who love cassie and adam together im sorry but this will no longer be a cassie and adam story. I have lost the heart for those stories and im really sorry. but i will be continuing this story. i will not stop writing it. it will just be cassie and nick instead of cassie and adam. it will not switch suddenly. it will probably change over a couple of chapters before it becomes totally cassie and nick. i just wanted to tell you guys that and please dont stop reading just because you dont like cassie and nick. just PM me or write a review of what you do or dont like or any ideas you might have and i will take them all into consideration. **

**I Love You All. **

**Till Next Time.**

**Marianna**


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